What are my post-operative instructions? •
Have someone drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days. • Get plenty of rest. • Follow balanced diet. • Decreased activity may promote constipation, so you may want to add more raw fruit to your diet, and be sure to increase fluid intake. • Take pain medication as prescribed. Do not take aspirin or any products containing aspirin unless approved by your surgeon. • Do not drink alcohol when taking pain medications. • Even when not taking pain medications, no alcohol for 3 weeks as it causes fluid retention. • If you are taking vitamins with iron, resume these as tolerated. • Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risk of complications. What should my activity level be? • Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications (narcotics). • Start walking as soon as possible, this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots. • Unless stated on this form, discuss your time off work with your surgeon.
How do I take care of the treated area? • Wear the compression garment recommended by your provider. The compression is needed in the area where the fat was harvested for 6 weeks post-op or per the surgeon’s recommendation. • Avoid exposing scars to sun for at least 12 months. • Always use a strong sunblock, if sun exposure is unavoidable (SPF 30 or greater). • Keep steri-strips on. • Inspect daily for signs of infection. • No tub soaking while sutures or drains are in place. • You may wear makeup with sunblock protection shortly. • Stay out of the sun until redness and bruising subsides (usually 48 hours). How should I expect to feel? • Temporary stinging, throbbing, burning sensation, redness, swelling, bruising, and excess fullness. • Some swelling, bruising or redness in the donor and recipient sites. • Swelling and puffiness may last several weeks. • Redness and bruising usually lasts about 48 hours. How should I expect to look? • Improved skin texture. • Firmer and smoother skin.
What follow-up care will I receive? • With regular follow-up treatments, you can easily maintain your new look. • Repeated treatments may be necessary. When should I call my doctor? • If you have increased swelling or bruising. • If swelling and redness persist after a few days.
If you have increased redness along the incision. • If you have severe or increased pain not relieved by medication. • If you have any side effects to medications; such as, rash, nausea, headache, vomiting. • If you have an oral temperature over 100.4 degrees. • If you have any yellowish or greenish drainage from the incisions or notice a foul odor. • If you have bleeding from the incisions that is difficult to control with light pressure. • If you have loss of feeling or motion. • If you have any sign of abscesses, open sores, skin peeling or lumpiness.
